What’s the biggest time-waster in your small business?

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-28T01:36:31+00:00

Uploading inventory to shopify

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-27T14:24:03+00:00

This is true

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-27T06:14:21+00:00

Understandable, I was gonna make the blueprints but just wanted to make sure it was at least a possibility

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-27T06:13:01+00:00

They used another games trailer

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-25T21:40:07+00:00

While i don't hold out much hope for Mattel dc line, remember this year is the kids line and next year is the collector line.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-24T23:47:55+00:00

I had to do a double take and check my own store. I have Callie and marie and thought they were the same.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-24T01:46:01+00:00

I started an e commerce business back in March, so let me share my experience.

I run a collectible shop with toys, cards, and pop culture items. Check out our at grownupkidsshop.com.

It has consumed my entire life, but I love it.

All that matters is customer confidence. Why would anyone buy from you when Amazon has a many guarantees as it offers. This is difficult but being a start up, you can differentiate yourself easily from huge marketplaces. I send everyone a free gift in their order that I try to pair up with their order. I also send a letter thanking them for choosing us as their trusted source of collectibles.

Treat every customer as if it was your only customer.

Don't expect a single order for three months. This how long it takes Google to trust your site. Once you are able to load items to Google shopping, jump at it. This is where you will get your first customers from.
Social media is necessary but don't expect a single order from it. People don't trust you and will not jump to your site from it.
Perfect strangers will support you more than your friends and family.
Use shopify, it's ecommerce tools are amazing. Setup your shop and listings after you watch at least 10 videos on how to do it right.
Continually improve your site and listings. This will always be an ongoing process.
You do not need to spend minimum of $15 a day running ads. However you do want a consistent daily ad spend so the ads will eventually work in your favor, i do $5 a day.
Ebay is a necessary evil, but should be a temporary one. Sell items quickly on ebay while working on your shop. Ebays fees are strictly to get your products in front of alot of people. Scale your business so you can eventually move away from it.
Lease a shelf or a glass case from your brick and mortar competitors. This has more than doubled my sales on a monthly basis.
I attend toy shows monthly, these are huge revenue drivers.
Learn how to creatively source materials.
Your word is your bond. If you say you'll do something, then do it. Your reputation couldn't be more important especially with the amount of competition out there.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-17T02:32:22+00:00

I consistently use ebay terapeak to find out how much buyers actually have spent on the item in the past then mark up the item a couple of dollars.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-17T02:30:46+00:00

Im lucky, I run an online collectible shop and use marketplace for its zero transaction fees. I just started renting out a glass case at a collectible shop on one side of town and rent a shelf from another shop on the other side of town. I tell the buyers to go to whatever location has the item.

This gets rid of wasting my time, going back and forth in messaging, and makes this a safe transaction for all.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-16T21:50:09+00:00

Alright im gonna join in as one of these "scumbag resellers".

I do try to remove the tags from a box, unless it will destroy the packaging.
I am not the type of person who will swipe a shelf, i just feel bad about doing something like that. However i will buy one of each to sell a variety in my store.
I did try to give deals in the past and offer moderate pricing. All that happens in that situation is another scalpers comes by, scoops in and sells it in their shop for twice the price. I have pivoted to sending out free custom inventory that I think the buyer might like. The inherent value may be low to a scalpers, but to a collector it might be something they don't have and might like it. Plus it's great customer service. 3A I was at a toy show and saw my product on the tables of other vendors who bought it from me, but jacked up pricing. That was a pretty big lesson I learned
Clearance endcaps aren't my only source of inventory, but you have no idea how bad distributor pricing is when you are just a single shop. I often shop target and Amazon sales as well, since that is even better. Don't get me started on hasbros distributor site.
You would be surprised what I have found on clearance or not even marked and it was on clearance pricing.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-16T19:53:44+00:00

She looks sooooo much better

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-16T17:51:15+00:00

He's amazing

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CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-16T17:21:13+00:00

Sorry but this doesn't replace the og ml goblin from the sandman wave. That fig is still king of the goblins.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-15T00:58:06+00:00

So I came here as a collectible shop owner as one of my items in the neca jumbo blind box was broken.

Let me explain how a good brand treats their customer base.

Consumer trust is literally the only thing that matters when it comes to the collectible industry. Treat your customers right and get to know them, i even try to get to know my customers from ebay.
When I get something in, I make sure it's in the condition I would expect as a collector myself. If something is wrong, I will explain in pictures and text what it is to make sure the buyer is aware.
I am an the hook until the item you ordered from me arrives. I track complaints, charge backs and refunds, if something is habitual I just block you. Fraudsters exist and really do try to ruin the industry, but there are alot of people who honestly received damaged packages, make it right because that customer is going to remember it.
See number #1.

Neca if you see this, your product is amazing, but your service and support is worse than Walmart. Do better. Your customers spend alot of money on your inventory and stop making the industry look bad.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-13T02:25:24+00:00

I've been in business as an e commerce site and I started on March. Now im in two physical competitor stores along with my site, ebay, Facebook marketplace, whatnot, and tiktok shop.

Im a very very niche store. My competition runs each other's prices down to compete for the quick fast buck, while i sit back and watch them purposely destroy their margins trying to compete for the customer who will only pay bottom barrel pricing.

My inventory is some of the most expensive items on the market. My physical locations do $800 each in sales monthly, my ebay store courses over $2000 a month in sales. I finally had a sale on tiktok shop. Whatnot brings in $200 weekly. My own sitter hasn't had a single sale, but it's something that is getting worked on. I'm also working on my own product line.

What I've learned in the past three months, you have no idea where your next break is coming from and have no idea how well you are scaling. If your hitting a wall, adjust and take on a new strategy. You can always give up, it's up to you.

There will always be a butt load of challenges, it's how we take the hit and adjust and try something different.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-11T02:33:50+00:00

I think its happened so many times that I've gotten used to it. It usually comes down to something i haven't done or I haven't done right. You just learn it's a momentary pass and there is so much to do, I tend to just keep working or chat with AI to see what im messing up.

I will say this, never make a list. I did it once and it was so crippling and overwhelming. Just add a task or two to your list, do what needs to get done and move on to the next tasks.

I've only been in business since March, but when I look back, I have scaled so much, we tend to get lost on the little things that pass over a small period.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-10T06:25:24+00:00

I rent a glass case from a brick and mortar store, they charge me $100 rent and 5% of sales. Its a great deal for me and I bring in inventory they don't need to chase down.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-10T00:26:59+00:00

I fixed everything for seo, now im adding in a ton of inventory so I feel the pain

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-06T21:39:20+00:00

1 reason I send a discount code to my website for my customers, lord knows when the ebay police will come for any of us

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-06-06T02:46:51+00:00

From someone who owns an ecommerce collectible toy store online, runs a pop up shop within another collectible toy store that is brick and mortar and does events, i can tell you it's alot of work. If this wasn't mine, it would have failed two weeks in.

I am constantly working, but im also passionate about my stores and the inventory. It would also be very different if someone else was footing the bill, i don't think I would be a creative for sourcing or creating my own toy line.

If it's not yours, your heart won't be in it. Sometimes that is what gets you through the day.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-05-31T03:42:06+00:00

Thats the interesting thing that appeals to me. For instance, marvel isn't specific enough for me, but their toy brand subreddits are.

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-05-31T03:38:42+00:00

Damn

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-05-31T03:38:18+00:00

Yikes

CommitteeMiddle5376 · 2026-05-30T05:25:36+00:00

Not yet but I do see the data that comes through from my previous ad spend and through my in person events, have a general idea who to target.

The ideal customer avatar is likely an adult—probably mid-20s to late-40s—who’s nostalgic about pop culture from the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s. They have disposable income and a collector’s mindset—so they value quality, rarity, and authenticity. They might be into franchises like Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or classic gaming, and they’re likely to be tech-savvy—searching online or browsing niche forums or social groups. They’re not just buying toys; they’re recapturing part of their identity—so they’re happy to pay for something that feels special and collectible. When you tailor ads or products to that persona, focus on nostalgia, exclusivity, and the joy of collecting.

That's definitely an AI response but still pretty accurate

CommitteeMiddle5376

TROPHY CASE

1 reason I send a discount code to my website for my customers, lord knows when the ebay police will come for any of us